Page 38 of Don't Fall

Chapter Ten

Tessa

“Have you seen my phone?” I’m sifting through the same pile of junk mail on Drea’s counter for the third time now in search of it. I’m going to be late for class if it doesn’t magically appear in the next thirty seconds. But it has to appear. I can’t leave without it. I also can’t deny the irony running rampant around here this morning. First Lane loses his phone...now I’m searching for mine. God help us all if I left it with him by accident.

“Haven’t seen it since last night when you handed it to me and made me promise not to let you answer Casey’s requests to come over.” She slurps the rest of her milk straight from the cereal bowl. “In hindsight, probably not your smartest move after all.”

I growl in response. There’s no point in pursuing this conversation. I remember getting my phone back after that. And we both know I would have felt less gross having a one-night stand with that douche than I do having slept with Lane-post Jules. Lane. Am I still calling him that? No. I am not. I’m taking a page out of Drea’s book of names and formerly Hot New Neighbor is now Whore Bag Lane. I’ve just decided.

“Where could it have gone since last night?!” I stop my frenzied searching long enough to still my mind and think back. Mentally retracing my steps, I recall the texting with Casey, can clearly see Drea holding my phone, remember her handing it back to me and me placing it back along the inside of my booties, the only form of ‘pocket’ available to me last night.

Automatically my eyes travel to the black, high heeled shoes lying on the ground beside the door where I dropped last night around the same time I said good night to Drea. I hurry over to them, turning both upside down and shaking for good measure several times. Nothing comes out. No phone. No phone at all.

“Shit.” I collapse to my knees and bang my head against the wall. Being pathetic is going to be the theme today.

“Don’t say it,” Drea’s voice is appropriately filled with dread. “Never mind,” she sighs, giving in to the inevitable reality of my situation. “I’ll go over and get it.”

“I kind of love you right now.”

“I’m very lovable, so that makes sense.” She marches past me and heads out the door, leaving it wide open as she goes. I’m out of sight, crumpled up on the floor against the wall, but I can hear everything.

The knocking on the door.

His footsteps coming closer.

The door opening.

“Good morning.” Whore bag Lane and his damn manners.

“Spare me. I’m here for Tessa’s phone,” Drea announces dryly and I can hear her on the move. Knowing her she’s halfway into the apartment already, nearly to his room, prepping for the search of all searches.

“She sent you?” He sounds surprised. And almost hurt.

“No. I sent myself. You’ve done enough damage in the last twelve hours. We all need a break,” she huffs, and I can hear her stomp off, probably into the bedroom.

The bedroom.

I cover my eyes, but I can’t shut down my mind. Every moment of last night burns vividly in my memory. Why did the greatest sex of my life have to be attached to the most humiliating morning? And why does it just keep going and going?

“Found it!” Drea yells, her voice already increasing in volume again.

After that, the only sounds are footsteps and the door slamming shut as soon as she’s crossed the threshold.

“Battery’s dead,” she announces flatly, dropping the phone in my palm.

“Crap.” And I don’t have time to charge it now. It’ll have to take whatever juice it can get on my drive to campus. “Thanks.” I swing my bag over one shoulder and make a mad dash through the open door. If I get zero red lights and speed ever so slightly, I just might make it on time.

I’m barely making my first California stop of the trip when my phone comes back to life, practically exploding with dings and jingles. My chest tightens almost instantly and I try to fumble for it with one hand, while managing a turning signal and steering a sharp right turn with the other. It’s not easy, but I manage to make it onto the main drag in one piece. I don’t need to check my messages. I can’t anyway. Driving and reading or searching for buttons on my screen are a bad combo for me on a good day and I think I’ve clearly established thus far, today is not a good day.

Since I’m on a roll, I decide it’s time to face my fears and call Miriam back. At least one of those missed calls is from her anyway. The rest are likely Meredith who has probably decided it’s time to get me on the line so she can tell me herself how she screwed me with Lane. Wow. There’s a new layer to this I didn’t see coming.

I shake my head, clearing the mental clutter and zone in on the dial tone.

“It’s about time, Tessa!” Miriam answers sternly. “Do you have any idea how close you were to a surprise visit from me?!”

I force a laugh. “Well, damn. Let me hang up. Pretend you never heard from me.”

She sighs dramatically. “I’m serious. I was starting to get worried.”

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